Broadmeadow, New South Wales

Broadmeadow is the geographic centre of Newcastle city. Its main commercial hub is located at the "Nineways".[2] It is the home of the Newcastle Knights. In 2016, it had a population of approximately 1,600.[1]

Broadmeadow
Newcastle, New South Wales
Population1,592 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density800/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Established1880s
Postcode(s)2292
Area2 km2 (0.8 sq mi)
Location5 km (3 mi) W of Newcastle
LGA(s)City of Newcastle
ParishNewcastle
State electorate(s)Newcastle
Federal Division(s)Newcastle
Suburbs around Broadmeadow:
Waratah Georgetown Hamilton North
New Lambton Broadmeadow Hamilton
New Lambton Adamstown Hamilton South

Origins

Broadmeadow was originally part of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve of 648 hectares. It developed around the Great Northern Railway, the road to Newcastle's western suburbs and the construction of the Sydney to Newcastle Railway in the 1880s.[2]

Nineways is a major intersection at Broadmeadow, originally constructed as a landscaped garden in the centre of a roundabout at the intersection of nine roads/tramlines that converge there,[2] the area was later reconstructed to have a set of traffic lights connected to only four roads. The other roads that accessed the roundabout were variously partly or fully closed off.

At Nineways stood the Century Theatre, rebuilt by Hoyts Theatres after World War II, with vast foyers on two floors and seating 1600, as one of Newcastle's premier theatres for stage and screen. It was often a venue for symphony orchestra concerts after the closure of the city's Victoria Theatre, but the exodus from cinemas because of television caused its closure in the early 1970s. It was said to have sustained severe structural damage during the 1989 earthquake, and was subsequently quickly demolished, amidst great controversy.

Modern history

The Broadmeadow railway station is situated close by and, before the construction of the Newcastle Interchange at Wickham, was once considered as the site for Newcastle's official transport interchange following truncation of the Newcastle railway line. Between Adamstown and Broadmeadow railway stations there is a large marshaling yard that opened in 1938. Adjoining this marshalling yard was Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot which was the second largest steam locomotive depot in the state, and served the last mainline steam locomotives in service on the New South Wales Government Railways in 1973.[3] The depot was then used for the stabling & servicing of Diesel locomotives until the depot was closed in 1994.[4]

There are two high schools in Broadmeadow, Hunter School of Performing Arts (HSPA), whose students have to pass a performance trial, and Merewether High School. The latter is the only academically selective secondary school in the Newcastle region.

Broadmeadow is also home to the Newcastle Regional Showground, which holds the Newcastle Regional Show and has the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, which hosts concerts and other large-scale performances. The Hunter Pirates basketball team previously played home games at the Entertainment Centre before being relocated to Singapore. The Newcastle Jets and Newcastle Knights play at the Newcastle International Sports Centre.

District Park within Broadmeadow has been the base of the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service since 1973.

Broadmeadow Shopping Centre (formerly known as Newcastle Central) has a Ritchies Supa IGA and is complemented by ten speciality shops, including a Subway, IceBox Liquor, Singos Wholesale Meats, a pharmacy, a bakery and a PETQuarters pet superstore.

Broadmeadow is home to several small businesses, including Hunter 294 for functions and celebrations, Rapid Solutions Building and Pest Insurance, Wellfit Personal Training, Dix Gardner, a private building certification company, and Little Black Pony Espresso.

Population

In the 2016 Census, there were 1,592 people in Broadmeadow. 83.1% of people were born in Australia and 83.9% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 40.0%, Catholic 19.8% and Anglican 13.5%.[1]

Heritage listings

Broadmeadow has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

  • Premiers and Railway Commissioners Rail Car Collection[5]
  • Main Northern railway: Broadmeadow Railway Locomotive Depot[6]
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gollark: Just deploying our bee neuron intelligences against this would be boring.
gollark: No, I won it.

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Broadmeadow (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  2. Newcastle City Council, About Newcastle Archived 2 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Groves, Ken et al (1994), The 60 Class, New South Wales Rail Transport Museum ISBN 0-909862-33-8
  4. "Remember When" Railway Digest February 1995 page 45
  5. "Premiers and Railway Commissioners Rail Car Collection". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01650. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  6. "Broadmeadow Railway Locomotive Depot". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01100. Retrieved 18 May 2018.

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